Final answer:
The method of Lagrange multipliers can be used to minimize the square of the distance from a curve or surface to a point, which simplifies the process of finding the minimal distance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Using Lagrange multipliers to find the minimum distance from a curve or surface to a point can be simplified by minimizing the square of the distance. This involves setting up a function that represents the square of the distance and then using the method of Lagrange multipliers to solve for the points where the distance is minimized. In some cases, specifically when dealing with a parabola, this can involve finding the derivative of the squared distance function and setting it to zero to solve for the closest point on the curve to the given point.